Geranium plant named ‘Duearthemia’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy  Geranium  plant named ‘Duearthemia’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; freely and early flowering habit; and dark red-colored double flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Pelargonium peltatumcultivar Duearthemia.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of IvyGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium peltatum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duearthemia’.

The new Ivy Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new freely-flowering Ivy Geraniums withattractive flower and foliage colors.

The new Ivy Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in May, 2000, of a proprietary selection of Pelargoniumpeltatum identified as code number F-02-01, not patented, as the female,or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatumidentified as code number F-09-14, not patented, as the male, or pollen,parent. The cultivar Duearthemia was discovered and selected by theInventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross in acontrolled environment in Rheinberg, Germany in April, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsat Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2002 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Ivy Geranium are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duearthemia’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duearthemia’ as a new cultivar and distinguishit from other known Ivy Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Freely and early flowering habit.    -   4. Dark red-colored double flowers.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the new IvyGeranium are more compact and more freely flowering.

Compared to plants of the male parent selection, flowers of the new IvyGeranium are more intense in color.

The new Ivy Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Barock,not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg,Germany, plants of the new Ivy Geranium differed from plants of thecultivar Barock in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were shorter than plants of        the cultivar Barock.    -   2. Leaves of the new Ivy Geranium were shorter than leaves of        plants of the cultivar Barock.    -   3. Plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more freely flowering        than plants of the cultivar Barock.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Ivy Geranium were more red in        color than flowers of plants of the cultivar Barock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Ivy Geranium.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of typical floweringplants of ‘Duearthemia’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The cultivar Duearthemia has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and measurementsdescribe plants grown in Rheinberg, Germany during the spring undercommercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and nighttemperatures about 18° C., and light levels about 4,500 foot-candles.Plants were grown with three plants per container. Plants were pinchedabout three weeks after planting. Plants were about eight weeks fromunrooted cuttings when the photograph and the detailed botanicaldescription were taken.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium peltatum cultivar Duearthemia.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum            identified as code number F-02-01, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Pelargonium peltatum            identified as code number F-09-14, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 5 days at 20° C.            Winter: About 7 days at 20° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—Summer: About three weeks at 20° C.            Winter: About four weeks at 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright and outwardly spreading plant            habit, rounded; densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Moderately vigorous. Freely            basal branching, about 13 lateral branches per plant.        -   Plant height.—About 24.5 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 12 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 24 cm. Internode length:            About 2.8 cm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 3.8 cm. Width: About 7.6 cm. Shape: Reniform. Apex:            Acute. Base: Peltate. Margin: Crenate. Venation pattern:            Palmate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color:            Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            137A; no distinct zonation pattern. Venation, upper surface:            144A. Venation, lower surface: 144B. Petiole: Length: About            4.8 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Dark red-colored double flowers arranged            in rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf            axils. Umbels displayed above the foliage on upright            peduncles. Flowers rounded in form. Umbels persistent,            flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering; at full flower,            plants have about eight open umbels with about nine flowers            per umbel.        -   Flowering season.—Flowering continuous spring through            summer.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five to seven days on            the plant.        -   Umbel size.—Diameter: About 6.9 cm. Height: About 4.7 cm.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4.2 cm. Depth (height): About            1.9 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About six or seven. Length:            About 2.4 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:            Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully            developed, upper surface: 45B; towards base, 53A; color does            not fade with development. When opening and fully opened,            lower surface: 53C to 53D; towards base, 61A to 61B.            Venation, upper surface: 45B. Venation, lower surface: 53C            to 53D.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity per flower: About twelve. Length: About            2 cm. Width: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded.            Base: Attenuate. Margin: Sinuate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth. Color: When opening and fully developed,            upper surface: 45B; towards base, 53A; color does not fade            with development. When opening and fully opened, lower            surface: 53C to 53D; towards base, 61A to 61B. Venation,            upper surface: 45B. Venation, lower surface: 53C to 53D.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: About five to six, arranged in            a single whorl. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 4 mm.            Shape: Elongated, tapering. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: 144A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 6.5 cm. Diameter: About            2 cm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:            Smooth. Color: 144A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle: Erect. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Anther quantity per flower:            About six to seven. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape:            Ovate. Anther color: 79A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 28A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted,            star-shaped. Stigma color: 59A. Style length: About 4.7 mm.            Style color: 2D. Ovary color: 144A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Development of seeds and fruit have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Ivy Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Ivy    Geranium.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ivy Geranium plant named‘Duearthemia’, as herein illustrated and described.